Diabolik | Mad Fox Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Mad Fox Brewing Company
Virginia, United States
madfoxbrewing.com
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.80%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Formerly called "Devil's Due".
Added by yourefragile on 08-20-2010
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 28 | Reviews: 11
Reviews by the Alström Bros:
None found.
More User Reviews:
4/5 rDev +7%
Laulau, May 29, 2014
3.44/5 rDev -8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.25/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a snifter at the brewpub in Falls Church VA
Surprisingly pale yellow-amber color, little head
The smell is faintly floral
The taste is not unpleasant, but not full enough to cover the alcohol sharpness, more a barleywine than either a strong or pale ale
Not bad, but disappointing
296 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a snifter at the brewpub in Falls Church VA
Surprisingly pale yellow-amber color, little head
The smell is faintly floral
The taste is not unpleasant, but not full enough to cover the alcohol sharpness, more a barleywine than either a strong or pale ale
Not bad, but disappointing
296 characters
3.8/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
assuming this is the same beer I had - the review descriptions fit at least...now called "Devil's Due" and brewed to 8.8 percent abv
a: snifter serving, deeply hazed, opaque golden in color, not much head but that's a result of being poured to the rim - which is cool with me
s: pale malt base with lots of light fruits and sugars, nice yeasty component, a bit grassy
m: medium-full body, a little slick, with a light-medium carbonation
t: sweet pale malts, yeasty with some mild spice, candied light fruits, grassy hops
d: a nice if simple bspa, no problems with this one
12 oz. glass at the brewpub
606 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
assuming this is the same beer I had - the review descriptions fit at least...now called "Devil's Due" and brewed to 8.8 percent abv
a: snifter serving, deeply hazed, opaque golden in color, not much head but that's a result of being poured to the rim - which is cool with me
s: pale malt base with lots of light fruits and sugars, nice yeasty component, a bit grassy
m: medium-full body, a little slick, with a light-medium carbonation
t: sweet pale malts, yeasty with some mild spice, candied light fruits, grassy hops
d: a nice if simple bspa, no problems with this one
12 oz. glass at the brewpub
606 characters
3.7/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the brewpub. Reviewed from notes.
Pours a mildly-dark golden color with a nice white head and some rings of lacing. Nose brings in some light fruity esters of apple and maybe some stone fruits. Also getting some yeast spice--maybe clove and some light pepper. Taste contains many of the same components and brings forward some more of the fruit; however, there's quite a bit of residual sugar there that overpowers a lot of the more delicate flavors. Medium body with good carbonation. A bit too sweet, but a good beer nonetheless.
542 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the brewpub. Reviewed from notes.
Pours a mildly-dark golden color with a nice white head and some rings of lacing. Nose brings in some light fruity esters of apple and maybe some stone fruits. Also getting some yeast spice--maybe clove and some light pepper. Taste contains many of the same components and brings forward some more of the fruit; however, there's quite a bit of residual sugar there that overpowers a lot of the more delicate flavors. Medium body with good carbonation. A bit too sweet, but a good beer nonetheless.
542 characters
4.32/5 rDev +15.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4/5 rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewpub poured into sampler glass. Pours hazy yellow with an average, fizzy white head, medium retention with good lacing. Aroma is heavy but sweet malt, light floral hops, and average esters with notes of perfume and bubble gum. Flavor is bread/cookie, biscut, citrusy/spicy hops, and green apple esters, honey, and bubble gum notes. Full body, high warmth, medium carbonation, low creaminess with a sweet texture and dry finish. Overall a nice spring/summer beer to have out doors at the brewpub!
512 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewpub poured into sampler glass. Pours hazy yellow with an average, fizzy white head, medium retention with good lacing. Aroma is heavy but sweet malt, light floral hops, and average esters with notes of perfume and bubble gum. Flavor is bread/cookie, biscut, citrusy/spicy hops, and green apple esters, honey, and bubble gum notes. Full body, high warmth, medium carbonation, low creaminess with a sweet texture and dry finish. Overall a nice spring/summer beer to have out doors at the brewpub!
512 characters
3.94/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.56/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.73/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
From 01/01/11 notes. Picked up a growler of this at the brewpub on 01/01/11. This beer is now called Diabolik, per the menu and Bill Madden:
"Same recipe, different name. I came up with that name when I was brewing at Vintage 50 in Leesburg, the current brewer asked that we not use Devils Due any longer so we put it to rest. Belgian style Strong Golden ales typically have a devil sounding name like Duvel so we came up with Diabolik."
a - Pours a murky yellow-golden color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.
s - Smells of yeast, grain, wheat, light spice, and light fruit.
t - Tastes of lemon and citrus, fruity malts, spices, yeast, grass or earthy notes, and
m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, pretty smooth and very easy to drink..
d - A pretty decent Belgian strong ale. Nice mouthfeel and some nice citrus in the taste. Very easy to drink for over 8% ABV. Would certainly give another shot.
939 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
From 01/01/11 notes. Picked up a growler of this at the brewpub on 01/01/11. This beer is now called Diabolik, per the menu and Bill Madden:
"Same recipe, different name. I came up with that name when I was brewing at Vintage 50 in Leesburg, the current brewer asked that we not use Devils Due any longer so we put it to rest. Belgian style Strong Golden ales typically have a devil sounding name like Duvel so we came up with Diabolik."
a - Pours a murky yellow-golden color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.
s - Smells of yeast, grain, wheat, light spice, and light fruit.
t - Tastes of lemon and citrus, fruity malts, spices, yeast, grass or earthy notes, and
m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, pretty smooth and very easy to drink..
d - A pretty decent Belgian strong ale. Nice mouthfeel and some nice citrus in the taste. Very easy to drink for over 8% ABV. Would certainly give another shot.
939 characters
3.9/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewpub in a 12 oz snifter.
Color is a remarkably obtuse dark cloudy golden orange color with a thin white head that quickly fades to nothing; no lacing. Aroma is fairly strong tangy and sweet. Mild Belgian yeast with light ripe fruit and hops. The flavor doesn't particularly fit any style wheel but I enjoy it. A nice balance of strong fruity malt and Belgian yeast with sweet, cloying bitter finish. One of my favorite beets from this visit, but not a great representation of any Belgian style. Alcohol is well managed however.
547 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewpub in a 12 oz snifter.
Color is a remarkably obtuse dark cloudy golden orange color with a thin white head that quickly fades to nothing; no lacing. Aroma is fairly strong tangy and sweet. Mild Belgian yeast with light ripe fruit and hops. The flavor doesn't particularly fit any style wheel but I enjoy it. A nice balance of strong fruity malt and Belgian yeast with sweet, cloying bitter finish. One of my favorite beets from this visit, but not a great representation of any Belgian style. Alcohol is well managed however.
547 characters
3.42/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the brewpub, this beer is a yeast bomb.
Beer is yellow and really hazy with a thin white head of small bubbles, head breaks and pulls toward the glass, some lacing.
Aroma is all yeast all the time, some floral notes come through but the yeast esters are winning on all front, almost banana at times, bubble gum.
Beer is thin and sweet, sweeter than expected, beer is not too dry but moderately so. The midpalate of the beer is quite fruity and estery, lots of yeastiness in this one. The finish again is mildly solventy. Odd.
538 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the brewpub, this beer is a yeast bomb.
Beer is yellow and really hazy with a thin white head of small bubbles, head breaks and pulls toward the glass, some lacing.
Aroma is all yeast all the time, some floral notes come through but the yeast esters are winning on all front, almost banana at times, bubble gum.
Beer is thin and sweet, sweeter than expected, beer is not too dry but moderately so. The midpalate of the beer is quite fruity and estery, lots of yeastiness in this one. The finish again is mildly solventy. Odd.
538 characters
3.87/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: Light golden color, completely opaque. Looks almost like fruit juice.
S: Sweet and citrusy.
T: Mostly sweet, with some raisin flavors. Some alcohol comes through, but the finish is clean.
M: Quite thick and low in carbonation.
D: Delicious and sweet - a little too much so to really throw these back. The boozy flavors are quite apparent too, which serves as a reminder that this beer is not clowning around.
416 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: Light golden color, completely opaque. Looks almost like fruit juice.
S: Sweet and citrusy.
T: Mostly sweet, with some raisin flavors. Some alcohol comes through, but the finish is clean.
M: Quite thick and low in carbonation.
D: Delicious and sweet - a little too much so to really throw these back. The boozy flavors are quite apparent too, which serves as a reminder that this beer is not clowning around.
416 characters
3.6/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
Yellow and hazy with minor head
Smell is spice, fruit, and sugar
Taste is sweet fruit with no discernable hops
Mouthful is medium with medium carbonation
Overall this beer was way to sweet for a BPA with no real hop component.
226 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
Yellow and hazy with minor head
Smell is spice, fruit, and sugar
Taste is sweet fruit with no discernable hops
Mouthful is medium with medium carbonation
Overall this beer was way to sweet for a BPA with no real hop component.
226 characters
3.79/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
On tap:
Cloudy yellow-almost like a witbier. Head is far from, however, thin rim of white, but lasting and producing a little lace. Nose is banana esters and Belgian yeast, standard, expected, on spot. There's also a somewhat characteristic Mad Fox part to it, one that is very minor, but mildly detracting.
Taste starts fairly clean, somewhat light; carbonation isn't very strong. Banana, light fruit (pear, apple) combined with a minty flavor, oddly enough. The taste is also a tad bit more astringent than I'd expect. I feel this section has focused on the negative, mainly because I feel the taste is mostly what I expected it to be, and that does count for something.
A decent beer, definitely something to try in the style. I think this one shows alcohol in a way that could be polarizing. In my opinion, you are not likely to be wowed by this beer, but you won't be very disappointed either.
907 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
On tap:
Cloudy yellow-almost like a witbier. Head is far from, however, thin rim of white, but lasting and producing a little lace. Nose is banana esters and Belgian yeast, standard, expected, on spot. There's also a somewhat characteristic Mad Fox part to it, one that is very minor, but mildly detracting.
Taste starts fairly clean, somewhat light; carbonation isn't very strong. Banana, light fruit (pear, apple) combined with a minty flavor, oddly enough. The taste is also a tad bit more astringent than I'd expect. I feel this section has focused on the negative, mainly because I feel the taste is mostly what I expected it to be, and that does count for something.
A decent beer, definitely something to try in the style. I think this one shows alcohol in a way that could be polarizing. In my opinion, you are not likely to be wowed by this beer, but you won't be very disappointed either.
907 characters
Diabolik from Mad Fox Brewing Company
3.74
out of 5
based on 28 ratings.